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or at least pseudo-African names. I'm referring to names like:

Dukwan, Tashauna, Taniqua, Rayquan....even less extravagant names like Kayla and Jhai.

I know I may get cuss for this, but I honestly think that those type of names hold you back from certain jobs and making it in AMERICA. I'm not too sure about Europe and other countries, but I've heard it said that large corporations simply overlook resumes and interviews which bear those names. In my opinion, I think when you give a child a name like Lakeishana, your setting your child up for a lot of stereotyping in years to come. Personally.....I'm sticking to Darren's Justin's and Michelle's

What do you all think?

Yes I agree with you there. They say that employers these days take an average on 10 seconds to look over a resume and that Afro-inspired names sometimes affect their decisions. It's reality that discrimination exists in the workplace, sometimes more subtle than other times. So I will leave the Rashiid's and LaQuanna's alone and stick to a name that would be less likely to be stereotyped..that's just me

i think when people get over the fact that it is okay to name your child whatever u feel..
and still allow them to excel at high standards
that 'mainstream' will finally not equate their/our names to ignorance, low intelligence and low productivity.
we cant hinder our thoughts, actions and contentments in our culture and even day to day life soley on what is taught to be 'right'.


...barriers can be broken...

Firstly, those examples of names are pseudo-absolutely-nothing. Like the good imix Empress said, names like that are just made up, and lack any foundation or meaning. Why would u give a child a meaningless name? They should be able state their name and be proud of its origin and meaning.....but, back to topic :)

We also get discriminated against for the color of our skin, so I say, if we're going to cowtow with names so our children can be acceptable, why stop there?

We should all just find a white person to marry, and then hope to our every-loving God that our children don't turn out to look anything like us. Then, armed with their beautifully-acceptable white skin and business-ready pretty curly or straight hair, they'll have no problem whatsoever making it in corporate America

Why don't we try to break free of racism, instead of cowtowing to it? Why don't we worry less about kissing up to a racist's business, and more about creating our own businesses?

I would rather raise my child to want their own business than try to groom them to slave away for a boss that can barely stand the sight of them.

It's not about us. It's about making a real future.

AMEN:angel1

The White man has done it again. Do it our way or else.

i totally agree. i definitely holds u back from getting certain jobs. it's sad but it true.

It holds you back from getting certain jobs, but why are we always trying to live our life and measure up to European standards?

I feel like if your qualifications don't speak for themselves, and you're being passed up for a job just because of your name, then why would you want to work at such an establishment anyway?

Action speaks louder than words...fact of the matter is that even if you have a totally European name, if the company wants to discriminate, then they'll do so anyway (remember, you still have to go in for an interview). The LaQuanahas of the world can be just as successful as anyone else, if they have the qualifications, experience, etc, necessary for the field they are trying to be successful in

Those names may seem ghetto to many of us (myself included), but its something owned and created by us, in defiance of, the "ruling" class.

Don't be fooled by the hype: racist employers will be racist employers, regardless of your name. I know plenty of Earl Wilmingtons III who are currently unemployed, with no hopes of finding a job.

i see what u r saying, but first in order 2 b considered for a job, someone has 2 review ur application. the first thing they look at is ur name and get turned off. most times u r not present so they cannot get a look at u. they r just going by ur name. so the process doesn't even get passed step one. i'm not saying that ppl who r qualified shouldn't get a job b/c of their name but this is what happens in today's world. and whether we like it or not, this is a WHITE MAN'S WORLD!. we r always going 2 b considered the "lesser" ppl. it's ashame we all can't be equal, but that is the way it is.

Yep, I've heard of this sort of discrimination. Pretty sad that these things go on in this day and age. People always say things are different now, but I don't think anything has really changed much since the Civil Rights movements. On the other hand, I think some of those names are just plain foolishness. Some of the things that people name their children these days i doh know man, like they just vex with they child or something!

Again,
If you're dealing with a company, who gets turned off by just your name, and doesn't even look at your qualifications then why would you want to work for such an institution.

It is a white man's world, but I think we use that to justify and make excuses when we fall short of the mark.

We live in a capitalistic society...the people at the top got there because they know how to be business people (well, most of them anyway). I don't know any business man/owner of a company who's going to say:

"LaQuanah has all the qualifications we seek, and Becky Sue has none of them -- let's go with Becky Sue!"

Maybe I just think differently, but I think saying you're not going to name your child something because it will affect their success is projecting your own beliefs unto the child, and will more than likely become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I may be a little naive, but I think the only thing that affects your success is your attitude.

for starters, ppl just apply to jobs wherever. u don't know who is going to discriminate. so there's but so much u can control when it comes 2 applying. u don't say "i'm not going to sent my resume to dis or dat place b/c they seem like they will discriminate. we just send it out and hope and pray someone calls us back. also we do live in a society where recruiters look at resumes with names like laquida with nuff skills and pick betty sue with no skills. it happens everyday and i've seen it happen. but none the less, if i liked names like laquida or whatever, i would still name my children that. but reality is reality. respect.

Thankfully my reality (and the reality of Black people who kept their "ethnic" names and made it -- Oprah, Adebayo, Earvin, Zemira, Maya, Condoleeza, etc) is a little different.

If I ever have kids, I'll let them know how the real world is, but I'll let them know that they control their destiny and success, not an interviewer, not their name, not the racist people in the world...

...It matters not how straight the gait,
How charged with punishment the scroll.
I am the captain of my fate,
I am the master of my soul.
- William Earnest Henley

...It matters not how straight the gait,
How charged with punishment the scroll.
I am the captain of my fate,
I am the master of my soul.
- William Earnest Henley i hear you sista. :)

why are we always the ones to assimilate...
...tons of immigrants move to this country with names that the common, closed-minded american business man would consider 'unusual' and 'not appropriate' for the workforce..
yet..these are the same people i see moving up the corporate ladder..
these people are able to make use of america's opportunities and still keep their cultures going strong, keeping their names, speaking their language..and getting good jobs.
as naive as this may sound..
but im yet to believe that a name can topple over all your qualifications and attitude..and ive seen it and experienced it
my names are by no shape or form..the traditional caucasian names
..and i never had a problem getting a position at an engineering firm with them, along with the other 30 college students just like me from africa, russia, india, japan and yes...even the black americans with their so called 'facked up' names.
its all whats in your head, im sorry.
and as strong as affirmitive action stands in most corporations right now..if youre black with your head screwed on right, qualifications to the roof..you're all set...
even bush..couldnt look pass condoleeza..even if she claims its italian..shes a black woman holding that name.. ..
..and look where she is....